Just when I thought I was about to have a peaceful vacation with my family, I had to run into Nimue. Her eyes lit up, she obviously doesn't think that what happened all that time ago should matter at all. "Hi." She said, waving to me. I waved her off in return. "Salty, salty, salty..." she scolded. "You really should take a break from living in the past." "Silly girl, remembering isn't living in the past. You seem to have a problem with owning your mistakes." "Arioch, I apologized. What more do you want?" she asked, sitting on a rock. "I don't really want anything from you. I came down here for a visit...a quiet, relaxing visit." "So have one." She replied. "That's hard to do with you around." I said. "Look, I was a dumb kid when I ran around on you. I'm not asking you to take me back, I'm trying to bury the hatchet and maybe make a friend. I've always thought you were pretty cool." "But not cool enough to not cheat on. Look, obviously you've grown up. Great...but that doesn't mean I have to overlook who you were to me when you weren't grown up. We ended on bad terms, and you don't just undo that." I replied, disinterested in her plea for friendship. "Ari..." "Not a name you can call me." I said, sharply. She sighed, and I thought she was giving up. Boy was I wrong. She is persistent like nobody's business....there just is no giving up with her. "Okay, Arioch...I think you're a cool dude. Is that a crime?" "No, it's a fact...and you're right, I am cool." "You're also stubborn...but you're cute." She said. "Is there something you needed or are you just going to stand here and annoy me?" I asked, getting irritated. "The latter." I could already feel my head start to hurt. "Why me?" I muttered. "How have you been?" "I was great until you reared your ugly head around." She poked me in the ribs. "Aw, come on. Last time we saw each other we had a good time." I snorted. "I tripped, fell, and landed in bed with you because I was hammered." "Nah, you drank a shitload of alcohol, got drunk, by the way, I know what drunk is now...I asked my human like you told me to, then you grabbed me and dragged me to bed with you." I grabbed her? Fuck, I don't remember. I could've, I suppose. "You also told me you loved me...and cried...then you totally blacked out." "I what?" I asked. "You told me you loved me and then cried...then you blacked out." I was in disbelief. "Yeah, okay, I definitely do not love you." "I know, but it was still funny." Unbelievable. What the fuck? "Look, you're dwelling on the past whether you wanna admit it or not. It's stupid, Arioch...I'm not who I used to be. Neither are you." Alright, she has a point...kind of. "When someone fucks you over, you're a stupid asshole if you give them the time of day afterward." She rolled her eyes. "Come on." She said, pulling me. "No touchy." I replied, removing her hands. "If you don't come willingly, I'll force you to. There's something I really wanna do with you." I scoffed. "You and what army?" I asked. "I suppose I could show you here if you really wanna get eaten alive by these flies." "I'd rather be eaten alive by flies than spend time with you." "You're adorable when you pout. Suit yourself though...these things have nice sized teeth." I felt one chomp on me. I hated to admit it, but it hurt like hell. She looked at me. "I'm heading out of here, but not with you." I stood up and walked away, seeking out a cave I used to play with Circe in thousands of years ago. I hoped she hadn't seen me run into it, but she did. "Cornered." She sang. "For fuck's sake, Nimue...leave me alone!" She just smirked at me. "In just a moment." She replied, coming toward me. I knew better than to think she'd try to hurt me but I was definitely concerned about what she had up her sleeve....
